


What Does Neil Do?

by smokesprite



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Kind of a crossover, but it's just the kate daniels world, none of the characters, so I don't want to post it under kate daniels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 17:36:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8926138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smokesprite/pseuds/smokesprite
Summary: No one knows what Neil's job is, but they value him for his eclectic knowledge. AFTG characters in the Kate Daniels universe, for the 3 people who will appreciate it.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Foxandraven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxandraven/gifts).



> You don't need to have read Kate Daniels to understand, but it wouldn't hurt.

“Renee said you’re good at weird shit.”

Neil looked up from his lunch tray in the Mercenary guild cafeteria and found Andrew Minyard. He was short, but there was an aura; beyond the fluffy blond hair and the light dusting of freckles, when Andrew Minyard hovered, it was a death sentence.

Neil had dealt with death sentences before.

“That’s what she says about you,” Neil speared a piece of chicken and chewed slowly.

Andrew lined a few of his knives up on the table rather than stabbing Neil with them, so Neil figured his response had been acceptable. Andrew was a legend with knives. Neil had yet to see for himself, but almost anyone who saw him fight claimed it had to be magical.

Evidently, Andrew had stabbed something whose guts wouldn’t clean off. Neil didn’t touch the knives, just swallowed his chicken and said, “Rub them down with soda pop. Preferably non diet. Let them sit for a few hours. Wash them off.”

Andrew grunted, close to a thanks, gathered his knives and left.

 

***

 

“Andrew said you’re good at weird shit.”

Nicky Hemmick sat across from him. The lunch today was chicken noodle soup, and Neil had encountered something that might’ve been carrot, but could also have been gristle. Neil motioned with his spoon for Nicky to continue.

“I’ve got this song stuck in my head. And I know what you’re thinking—but it’s not like that. Ear worms are nothing to get worked up over, it’s just that I’ve got like three-fourths of a siren song stuck in my head and it’s driving me crazy.”

Should Neil swallow? He didn’t think whatever it was in his mouth would poison him, but…

“And this is hard because I’m not usually attracted to magical creatures, non the non-human ones anyway, but this one was a seriously hot guy.”

…what if someone was trying to poison him?

“His name was Eric, actually, we talked a little before he tried to drown me.”

Who wanted to poison him? Had he made enemies in Columbia? He’d kept his head down since joining the Merc guild but that didn’t mean someone hadn’t singled him out.

“It sucks because I keep thinking of really corny ‘The Little Mermaid’ jokes.”

If he hadn’t suffocated or spasmed by now, it was likely a slow acting poison. Or, he reminded himself, just another example of the questionable food served in the Merc Guild’s cafeteria.

“This sounds more like a personal problem than a magic one,” Neil said honestly. “And everyone knows the best way to fix an ear worm is listen to the song again.”

 

***

 

“Everyone says you’re good at weird shit.”

Considering the Minyard twins and Nicky were Kevin Day’s ever present shadows, making Kevin even more of a social pariah than he was already been predisposed to be, Neil figured he knew what Kevin meant by ‘everyone’.

“May I sit?” Kevin asked.

Neil shrugged.

Was this happening?

Sure, he’d seen Kevin around, he’d heard the rumors, he’d almost considered running again. But then he’d decided hiding in the shadow of a bigger mark might be smart. Plus, having a steady paycheck for the first time in his life had proven a harder thing to leave than Neil had anticipated.

Kevin couldn’t have recognized him—no one who’d known him as a child could recognize him—Neil’s father had mauled him too badly. Unless a fellow shape-shifter sniffed him out, he was fine.

Kevin slid a thin slip of paper across the table.

 “I got this letter a few months ago, probably from an old associate, and I’ve tried all the codes I know, but…I can’t decipher it. I was hoping you could.”

Neil stared at it, but did not touch it. Kevin had quit a seven-figure job with one of the most powerful Navigator business families in the US; did he want to get involved?

One of the Minyard twins said in German, “I don’t know why you all insisted we ask this guy. He’s nothing special.” The trio often communicated in German, to the chagrin and annoyance of the other Mercs.

“He set me up with Eric,” Nicky was quick to Neil’s defense.

“He told you to flirt with a murderous siren,” Neil was fairly certain that Aaron Minyard was the one talking. “You’re lucky you’re not dead.”

“He helped clean Andrew’s knives,” Nicky said.

“That was—”

“If they’re distracting you, I can get them to shut up.” Kevin said in English.

“Distracting?” Aaron replied. “He’s not doing anything—just staring like an idiot. He has no more idea of what’s on that paper than we do.”

Kevin cleared his throat. “Aaron, it may not have occurred to you, but Neil can understand you.”

“What?” Nicky asked, looking at Neil nervously.

“He’s the guild translator.” Kevin reminded them.

“That’s what he’s here for?” Nicky sounded disbelieving.

Ignoring them, Neil stood up. “Whoever Jean is, he wants you to be careful next Thursday.”

 

 

 


End file.
